Systems and methods for determining player participation at gaming tables

Abstract

A system includes a plurality of stationary gaming tables positioned at a plurality of respective locations, a moveable table game device, one or more processors, and a server. Each gaming table includes a table transceiver and a table controller. The table game device includes a device transceiver that sends and receives data signals including operational data from the table transceivers via a first communication network. The server collects the operational data via a second communication network and stores the operational data for analysis, in particular, to obtain player participation data. The system, via the device transceiver and the table transceiver, may configure the moveable table game device according to configuration data stored in the memories of the table controller or the server by a configured moveable table game device previously located at the gaming table.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for monitoring player participation at moveable table game devices used in connection with stationary gaming tables in a gaming environment, the system comprising:
 a plurality of stationary gaming tables positioned at a plurality of respective locations, each gaming table equipped with a table transceiver and associated memory, each table transceiver in communication with a first communication network and a second communication network different from the first communication network; 
 a moveable table game device equipped with a device transceiver and associated memory, the device transceiver configured to transmit and receive data signals including operational data via the first communication network with table transceivers of the plurality of stationary gaming tables; 
 one or more processors, individually or in combination, being configured to generate operational data associated with the moveable table game device at least partially as a function of data associated with cards distributed by the moveable table game device during play of a card game; 
 a communication node in communication with the second communication network, the communication node configured to collect the generated operational data from at least one of the table transceivers over the second communication network; and 
 a server with associated memory, the server communicatively coupled to the communication node and configured to receive, store and analyze the collected operational data. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first communication network is an ultra-wideband network. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the operational data comprises a number of packets of cards distributed by the moveable table game device between an occurrence of a first event and an occurrence of a second event. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 3 , wherein the card game is at least one of THREE CARD POKER®, Ultimate Texas Holdem®, Mississippi Stud®, or Let It Ride®. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the operational data comprises timestamps associated with each card distributed by the moveable table game device. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 5 , wherein the server analyzes the timestamps to identify a timestamp-based signature pattern of cards dealt during a round of play of the card game. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 6 , wherein the server determines a player participation level based on the number of cards dealt in the signature pattern of cards. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7 , wherein the card game is blackjack. 
     
     
       9. A method of determining player participation at one of a plurality of stationary gaming tables, the method comprising:
 distributing cards during a plurality of rounds of a card game played at the one of the plurality of stationary gaming tables via a moveable table game device equipped with one or more processors, a device transceiver and associated memories, the device transceiver configured to communicate data signals via a first communication network to and from a table transceiver and associated memory of the one of the plurality of stationary gaming tables, the table transceiver in communication with the first communication network and a second communication network different from the first communication network; 
 generating, via the one or more processors, individually or in combination, timestamp data associated with the cards distributed by the moveable table game device; 
 transmitting, via the device transceiver and the table transceiver, the timestamp data to the stationary gaming table; 
 transmitting, via the table transceiver, the timestamp data to a communication node in communication with the second communication network, the communication node configured to collect the generated timestamp data from the table transceiver over the second communication network; 
 receiving the timestamp data at a server with associated memory, the server communicatively coupled to the communication node and configured to receive, store, and analyze the collected timestamp data; 
 analyzing the timestamp data to identify a plurality of rounds of play of the card game according to a timestamp-based signature dealing pattern in each round; and 
 based on the number of cards dealt in the signature dealing pattern in each round, determining and assigning a player participation level to each of the identified rounds. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the card game is blackjack. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the signature dealing pattern in each round comprises an initial burst of dealt cards. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the number of cards in the signature dealing pattern is odd and wherein the participation level in each round is determined at least in part by dividing the number of cards in the signature dealing pattern by two. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the number of cards in the signature dealing pattern is reduced by one prior to determination of each participation level to account for a card dealt to the dealer. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the signature dealing pattern is identified by a block of contiguous timestamps of cards separated by an interval less than one second. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 9 , further comprising generating a recommendation for action based on analysis of the participation level assigned to one or more of the identified rounds of play. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the analysis of the participation level assigned to the one or more identified rounds of play comprises progressive game data. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the recommendation for action comprises adjusting wagering limits at the one of the plurality of gaming tables. 
     
     
       18. A method of determining player participation at one of a plurality of stationary gaming tables, the method comprising:
 distributing cards during a plurality of rounds of a card game played at the one of the plurality of stationary gaming tables via a moveable table game device equipped with one or more processors, a device transceiver and associated memories, the device transceiver configured to communicate data signals via a first communication network to and from a table transceiver and associated memory of the one of the plurality of stationary gaming tables; 
 generating, via the one or more processors, individually or in combination, timestamp data associated with the cards distributed by the moveable table game device; 
 transmitting, via the device transceiver and the table transceiver, the timestamp data to a table controller of the stationary gaming table; 
 analyzing the timestamp data, via the table controller, to identify a plurality of rounds of play of the card game according to a timestamp-based signature dealing pattern in each round; and 
 based on the number of cards dealt in the signature dealing pattern in each round, determining, and assigning a player participation level to each of the identified rounds. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the signature dealing pattern in each round comprises an initial burst of dealt cards. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the number of cards in the signature dealing pattern is odd and wherein the participation level in each round is determined at least in part by dividing the number of cards in the signature dealing pattern by two.